I grew up in Chelsea and Newton, Mass. and now make my home in Arlington. I taught high school in Haverhill and Burlington until 2007, and have been a writer for about as long as I was a teacher. Maybe longer. While much of my writing is business-
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I grew up in Chelsea and Newton, Mass. and now make my home in Arlington. I taught high school in Haverhill and Burlington until 2007, and have been a writer for about as long as I was a teacher. Maybe longer. While much of my writing is business-related, I also write whenever I travel and I travel whenever I can.

In my last post I asked readers if they had any other explanations for the straight backs and still arms of Irish step dancing. One of my readers preferred to send the comment to me. She had learned that the dance was meant to minimize any jiggling or suggestiveness of any sort…perfectly still and perfectly chaste. I welcome more comments if you have further information.

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Next stop—the Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare are five miles of spectacular shoreline along the Atlantic coast. The pounding ocean has eroded the rock face to expose layers of the planet that go back over 300 million years. For the geologist, there are lessons here on the history of the earth.

For the tourist, there are stunning views. In addition to the extraordinary undulating appearance of the cliffs, there are sea stacks rising from the ocean: rock pillars that have resisted the erosive force of the sea. You can see one below, blurred by mist, near the center of the image.

The cliffs are about 700 feet high. These tall precipices, like almost everything in Ireland, have bred tall tales.

At one end of the cliffs, near the remains of a tower, is a rock formation called Hags Head. If you use your imagination from the right viewing angle, the cliffside resembles a woman’s head. My imagination failed me, I regret to say. In any case, the story is that Mal, a sea hag, fell in love with the Irish hero Cú Chulainn, a great warrior of the first century BCE. Mal pursued him through the length and breadth of the country, but he eluded her grasp. Eventually he returned to the cliffs, leaping on the sea stacks to escape her. Mal followed, but was not as nimble: during the chase, she fell to her death.

O’Brien’s Tower, built in 1835, is at the highest point of the cliffs. Some say Cornelius O’Brien built it as an observation point for visiting tourists of the Victorian era. Some say he built it to impress his lady friends. Which story is true? Depends on whom you ask.

O’Brien’s Tower —note the sea stack in the left foreground. Wonder if this is one that Cú Chulainn used as a stepping stone?

This major tourist attraction has drawn some interesting people who enjoy an audience (and the audience's generosity).

My pictures give you an idea of the Cliffs’ beauty. For an excellent cyber-tour of the Cliffs, visit http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/ : you’ll find a short video, a 3-D tour, stunning aerial view, and excellent information.